Ambrose has a solid writing style that carries along his narrative in a pretty effective way. There is some repetition in the book, which may be warranted as it is almost 400 pages long.

Overall, an interesting read that makes you consider just how fundamental to the current character of our country the transcontinental railroad has been. It’s also a nice portrait of the blend of accomplishment, greed, fraud and inspiration that got the road built in the first place.